(“Allegedly” because Ukraine has still not answered numerous questions regarding this accident. In other words, it remains unknown what was spilled there, why it happened, and in what quantities.)
After nearly five months of work, the response teams are no longer stationed on-site on a permanent basis. This was reported by Environment Minister Gheorghe Hazder, who visited Arioanești, where the largest containment system—consisting of seven absorbent dikes—was installed.
During this time, approximately 20,000 meters of absorbent dams, more than 50 metric tons of biodegradable and liquid sorbents, as well as hundreds of pieces of specialized machinery and equipment were used. This was an unprecedented operation to protect the Dniester River, the main source of drinking water that supplies approximately 80% of the population of the Republic of Moldova.
Moldova Is Prepared for Future Incidents and Accidents
Hajer asserts that Moldova is now better prepared to respond quickly in the event of potential surface water contamination. The responsible agencies have stockpiles of equipment and materials for emergency response.
These include containment and absorbent booms, oil-absorbent materials, pumps, tanks for collecting and storing pollutants, as well as personal protective equipment for response teams, including suits, masks, and gloves. The stockpiles also include biodegradable absorbent materials and other products necessary for containing and collecting pollutants.
The equipment is stored in two warehouses, one in the north and one in the center of the country, allowing for rapid mobilization depending on the location and scale of a potential emergency.
At the same time, the experience gained over the past few months has enabled the authorities to strengthen their response capacity. Moldova now has both the necessary equipment and specialists with direct experience in large-scale water resource protection operations, the Minister of the Environment noted.
“The fact that we have dismantled the last dams on the Dniester does not mean that our preparations are complete. On the contrary, one of the lessons of this crisis is that we must be prepared even before an emergency arises. Today, we have the equipment, materials, and specialists that can be quickly mobilized to protect water resources and the environment.”
The Ministry of the Environment will continue to monitor water resources and maintain its response capacity so that, should a new risk situation arise, the authorities can act quickly and in a coordinated manner.
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